The Girls' Sleepover
by EvelioandZgroup
Summary: Gumball and his friends are enjoying their night at Tobias' house, until Tobias reveals that the house across from them is having a girls' sleepover with the new girl named Sarah. Now, deviant to make this night fun, they decide to go out there and ruin their night, but could they have made it worse for themselves and others around them?
1. Chapter 1

The Girls Sleepover

1

I believe that we all have one childhood memory we try to forget. I know this, and everybody does, but they keep it to themselves. For me, I do keep it to myself. I know it still bears its ugly claws at me when I overhear a little girl talking about a sleepover. Not many happen as they used to, though. In Suburbia, girls, particularly seven through nine (exceptions range from ten and eleven, sometimes twelve, at least from what I heard) have sleepovers at the more popular girl's house. I remember who was the most popular in the day—and for good reason too—Penny Fitzgerald.

Penny was an antlered peanut, with eyes and a mouth being a hole, wearing wristbands (orange and white), one that was not usual back in the day. (Look at me. I sound like an old-timer.) She was a hybrid, like one of the girls I remembered named Jamie; she has traits of an ox, which would explain her horns, hooves, a lion's tail of orange coloring, a frog, which would be her skin coloring, and various other animal species as well. I can't possibly say them. But I do remember her giving me an ass whooping, rather than just a casual friendship. She was the bully in our school, aside from Tina, a massive tyrannosaurs rex. I can't tell you how much I suffered back then to just have a peaceful afternoon without running into these two.

Anyway, back to Penny.

She was the popular one because of her personality. We were twelve, so looks weren't all the matter, like how teenage girls have resulted into bulimia and anorexia. Poor fools. How you always pity them than find them attractive. With Penny, she was thin, sure. Aside from that, that's not what boys liked about her. She was always caring, helping friends in a tight jam; I remember one time she helped me out of some unfinished homework, and she would actually teach me better than the actual teacher. She was smart, so she knew what she was doing. I'm not saying I'm dumb that I needed her, but there was this feeling or sense of trust that when you met her and the way she talked to you, you could have sworn that you two were old buds when you were toddlers. And she had this way of making you feel so good about yourself ("Look on the bright side, and then on the worse side, and tell me how lucky you are," she told some); her voice pitched the perfect tone of relief from stress and depression. I'm not gonna say she was an angel, but if she was, I wouldn't be surprised. Along with that, when you stare into those gapping holes you can call eyes, you feel so alive and warm. It's impossible to do so, unless she was Penny. Cheesy, I know, but true.

I'm not gonna lie, she had some problems. She would often get jealous when someone would posed a threat between her and Gumball Watterson, a blue cat wearing a tan sweater with brown ends, black jeans, and having a somewhat medium, but thick, tail, and he was my friend.

I remember Gumball recalling the events of a night prior to what he was telling Darwin, his brother, who was oddly enough a goldfish with legs and green shoes. They discussed how Gumball had acquired this "thing" of some sort named Jealously. Maybe a demon or a bad twinkie he ate, but he claimed he didn't remember what happened when he blacked out from this here Jealously. Now, there are some things that are far-fetched to me. I don't believe what he said, mostly, except for one part when Gumball addressed how Penny actually said some nasty things to Carrie, and it could have been because of Jealousy. Now, I do know and understand why I shouldn't believe that as well, but I noticed how Penny_ could_ act like that against Carrie. I am one who doesn't speak, but I watch and listen. I heard that it was because Carried nudged him a bit, and she flipped. That's believable if the one you love could end up with someone else; that would pose a threat to you and your future-partner's future. It's overreacting, but you can't say one person hasn't done that before.

Still, the reason I say this because it could lead to a distant and untrustworthy relationship. Suppose either of them would see them with someone else. That could cause stress and distrust, and I would suspect (at least before hearing how Penny got a little bit of a _slipped_ tongue) that she would be the one to work things out.

But no, she would too pose a problem as well.

Still, Penny is a good person; I know this, and so does her friends.

Now, to this day, I don't believe that's a problem anymore...


	2. Chapter 2

2

Some of the guys—Tobias, Banana Joe, Anton, Darwin, and Gumball—decided to have a guys' night-out with each other. I was involved, too.

Now guys—or kids, as we once were—don't like to refer this as a sleepover, even though it has the same qualities of one: a group of friends spend the night at the host's house, doing whatever the hell they want, sleep in the same room, do things that are to stay between them—that kind of stuff. We don't like saying it is one, but it is _like_ one (even though I know that's a lie), the very least.

We went to Tobias' house. Now, I'll give you the skinny: Tobias, our friend/enemy—or in today's term "frenemy"—was more like a cotton ball that was dipped in paint and mistaken for one of those Tie Dye shirts. Though our friend, he is more like the friend you know is way over in his head. One instance, he self-proclaims himself as "The Athlete"; he even wears a headband and wristbands, like Penny. The only downside to his opinion is that he is more like a meatball with noodles for arms and legs. He also had this rivalry with Gumball, because he too wanted to be with Penny. (See what I mean by "popular"?) I remember that day when they literally fought against each other, just to be Penny's partner. The fight didn't end well—and we should just leave it at that. The good thing is they don't discuss about it, and I was surely not to be seen. As I said before, I watch and listen.

Banana Joe is a banana...shocker to some. But, like the Banana Peel joke, he too is (or tries) to be funny. He sees more on the fun side of life, still having his own edge at making a joke, even at every turn. He even makes fun of himself, but seemed impossible how he is still alive. But, he is a great pal, and sticks true to what he believes, and I can respect that.

Anton, a piece of toast—not that interesting, really, since, you know, he's a piece of toast—is more of a kind and simple kind of guy. You know the punching bag in a show who is nice and just gets bad things to happen to him for no particular reason (except the fact he is asking to be eaten by birds for the fact he is a piece of bread)? Well, he's that guy. Poor sucker even has to associate with Jamie and Tina because they force him to. Still, I feel more pity than admire or care, really.

We all sat in the living room, since it's the more appropriate place for a guys' hangout than the host's bedroom since this isn't a girls' sleepover (and don't argue my man-logic). Tobias was on the end of the couch enjoying a slice of pepperoni pizza, while Gumbal and Banana Joe went at their street-fighting game, and as Darwin, Anton and I were just talking.

I like talking with them more because I can relate with them. We're simple, yet kind, and we do have a tendency to be a bit naive (especially Darwin), but we're all down-to-Earth kind of guys. We speak just like we would if we had been friends for years and had just reunited since our departure in twenty years.

Gumball groaned. He had been beaten by Banana Joe.

"I win!" Joe declared.

"Best two out of three, Joe," Gumball said.

"Nah, I want to enjoy some pizza." Joe jumped off the couch and walked towards still a half-filled both of both sausage and pepperoni. Joe got himself a slice of both sausage and pepperoni.

"Hey, Tobias, want to play?" Gumball asked.

"Sure, just let me finish this. I'll be real quick."

As Tobias was finishing up, I noticed that outside through the bay window; I saw lights go on in the living room across the street. I didn't think that anybody was in there, or maybe the folks over there were sleeping.

Then I saw something. I thought I saw a small group of people. Maybe it was a small dinner party, but I didn't see anybody go in; heck, there aren't any cars near the house, except for one in the driveway.

Tobias saw me, and walked towards me, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Do you see what I see?" he said.

"What?"

"I guess it's time to tell you guys why we're all here," he announced to the group.

"What do you mean?" Gumball asked.

"I mean that house over there," he said, pointing directly at them like they were a target of some sort at the battlefield, "has something that we got to do before the night ends."

"What are you talking, Tobias? I don't get it," Darwin said, confused by his intentions.

"Okay, I'll get to the point," he said.

We gathered around when he told us that we were going to do something, seemingly small but big for us. And I couldn't believe what we were about to do that night.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Tobias told us that he overheard Penny, Carrie, Masami, Molly, Teri, Carmen, even with Jamie, talking about a girls' sleepover. He told us that they were going to sleep over at the new girl's house, Sarah, a yellow ice cream cone. I remembered her from one of my classes, I believe. I mean, she does have this thing where she pretends to have her life as a sitcom. I can't blame her. Why? Because I don't know much about her, so I wouldn't try to question it. But, like others, it both gets me curious and annoyed by it. Nevertheless, I still thought she was a nice girl, and there really was no problem with her. That is until what Gumball and Darwin told me what happened when they hanged out with her, but I figured out that it was more that she was lonely. I won't tell you what they said, because they asked to keep in secret, but isn't much of a secret. You can ask Gumball and Darwin about the events, anyway. I wouldn't know about it, actually, at least not anymore. Still, she was lonely, and this whole sleepover thing seemed pretty nice and considerate. She didn't have much friends, so this would be good for her.

On the other hand, Tobias told us that they planned to bring along all of their friends to her house to have this welcoming party or some sort to Sarah. He told us that he wanted to pull a prank on them while they were sleeping and, at that moment, I believed he would ruin their sleepover, not for them, but for Sarah.

What did I thought? I thought it was crude and rude and...just unpleasant.

"Why would we agree to do this, Tobias?" Gumball said, a little bothered and angry at his plan.

"What do you mean?" Tobias said, as if he hasn't done anything wrong...yet. "Look, we're young, and we're prone to do stupid things. We can't control it."

"I don't know," Gumball said, "I'm having enough to say I wouldn't do it at _all."_

"Yeah," Darwin began, "and it seems mean and wrong."

"What prank hasn't been mean or wrong?" Tobias countered.

"He's got a point," Joe said. "But I, for one, still wouldn't do it."

"Tobias, what are you thinking?" I asked. "I mean, there's no reason for us to do something like that. To do that would make us look like real jerks."

"Plus, some of us, like me, have girls we like to be friends with," Gumball said.

"Like Penny?" Darwin said. Gumball shushed him.

"And?" Tobias said. "Who said we were going to get her, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Gumball asked.

"I'm talking about the fact that Jamie is going to be there. We have Carmen, Teri, Penny, Carrie, Molly, Masami, and Sarah, but we can get back at Jamie. Remember what she did to us? Huh? Remember all those swirlies she gave us? I remember one day when she did it to you that you were sent to the Principal Brown so your mom could pick you up while you wear crying."

"How do you know that?" Gumball said, shocked at what he said that he forgot to even deny the fact. I know she would do that because she did the same thing to me, but she did it with her foot on my head as she pulled my arm behind my back and gave me a Chinese or Indian burn, either way, it hurt.

"Darwin told me," he said. Gumball turned to his brother, almost giving off the feeling he was going to reach a rage fit. "But does that excuse the fact that she got away with it? The fact that you couldn't prove it because you didn't _see_ her, but you knew it was her?"

"Yeah, but—"

"And how about you, Darwin? Remember what Masami did?"

"Actually no, I forgot what happened." Poor, naive Darwin.

"Well, let's just say how she put you through a bit of a pain in the behind when she tried making you her boyfriend, ruining our pact."

"But I still wouldn't hurt her," he said.

"Excatly!" Tobias said. "You guys force me to use what they did to you, and you're not hearing me out. I'm talking about a small prank, one that isn't big or anything, but one that is kept between us. Like if we were kids and we switched the soda of two guys drinking it and they never know—but we do! That would be our secret."

"But when you put it like that," I said, "this prank would still be entirely pointless."

"Every prank is useless. But it's the thrill and pure adrenaline rush of doing something we shouldn't do. I'm not asking you guys to stop being you and help me murder somebody. I'm just asking for us to do something small and let us have it between us."

We stood silent for a while, thinking about what we were planning to do: go along or stop it before it happens.

"Well, if no one gets hurt, I'm in," Joe said.

"Me too," Anton said. "There's no point, but let's have fun."

"Dude, really?" I said.

"What?" he said.

"You're willing to go along with this? You out of everyone?"

"You say it like you never saw a bad side of me. I'm only a person; I feel too, you know."

"But it doesn't make any sense."

"So? Life doesn't make sense. Who are we to judge ourselves?"

"Anton—"

"What? You question me, but you don't question Joe?"

"That's different," I said.

"How so?"

"Well, Joe is naturally invested in jokes, so it's logical for him to join in."

"And not me?"

"Well, yes."

"Because I'm just a piece of bread with high optimism that you assume is always good?" He got me there. I did seem him as that, nothing really more, actually. "Besides, it's just a small prank, like Tobias said. No one would get hurt."

"But—"

"But nothing. I'm going to do it, no matter what."

He was in. And there was no turning back for him. I think it was because he wanted to be a bit of a rebel. I thought of him of just a guy I pitied. And I still do, but I understood now why he may have wanted to do this one act. He hasn't done anything else like it since today. Afterwards, nothing still. He just wanted to be a rebel. But I don't think it's just that.

It almost seemed like we were going one by one. It was just Gumball, Darwin and I. Gumball will go along since he is a bit of a troublemaker, I know, but won't get involved if Penny gets hurt, but I wouldn't worry about it, considering Tobias is the one planning; he wouldn't hurt Penny either, unless he uses it to his advantage, but I still wouldn't count on it. That would be coming from the guy who tried to make a blood pact with a dull stick.

"This cannot hurt Penny, okay?" Gumball said.

_Of course,_ I thought. _This is going down like dominos._

"Of course," he said. "Besides, we're not going to hurt anyone, Gumball."

"Okay, I'm in," he said.

"Me too," Darwin said. He went along with them because Gumball went along, and he usually follows whatever he does. I guess it's a strong brotherly bond.

Now it was only me.

"What do you say?" Tobias said. "You in?"

I stood there, thinking.

"What would we _do_ exactly?"


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm very sorry for the long wait, and even more that you have to wait longer. You see, I know how the story goes out, but is how it transends into it. What I mean is how its done. Like you know crappy excorisms that do the job but not well, while The Excorist knows what its doing, aiming for the right notes. That's what I'm trying do. I want to get it right. I'm sorry, and more that you have to wait longer. This isn't much, but it gives you some preparation of what's going to happen. If I nail the next chapter, the story will fall into place and you will enjoy the rest of it. I hope I can do my best. See you later.**

**~ EvelioandZgroup**

* * *

4

Tobias was right, in a way. We did overreact when we didn't give him a chance.

He told us that we would simply just go inside when they're sleeping, and set an alarm clock to its loudest setting and wake them up. We would ditch the house before hand and leave it set for one minute. When it happens, we would run out of the door, take the alarm, and run back after closing the door. Our plan to run back and make sure they don't see us would be tricky. Tobias said we would have to run out from the back door as the first half leaves and would cause a distraction, if necessary, while the others would run out the front while running opposite ends of the street. I would run out to the right while Joe would got the left side. We would make sure no of them were awake and that if they did look, they would look over here with us so the others could escape. Luckily for Joe and I, we were fast runners. Our plan was Joe would hide behind a bush to his left while I would run to the right and go the alley, since the right side ends shortly after. Darwin would check from Tobias' house to see if his parents come down or if something happens in the house from above. Anton and Tobias would set up the alarm and take it off—Anton would be close to the cord so he could pull it off while Tobias holds the alarm clock close to the girls and they'd run out with Tobias carrying, while Gumball helps prepare the escape from the back and make sure not to leave a trace they were here. This prank may have been small, but we did want to make sure nothing would screw up or leave any piece of evidence behind (Another reason why Gumball couldn't be inside as he had fur).

We agreed there was no going back. I still felt about what was going to happen, even if it was minor and such. Tobias reassured me no one would get hurt. It's as simple as that, he said. That's what he said.

"Remember, this will be between us, guys. I'm counting on you to know that this is for us, not for the hell of it."

"Tobias, wouldn't that be contradicting yourself?"

"Well, life does the same. Who are we to argue about this?"

"People?" Darwin naively said with a smile.

"That's a question you shouldn't answer, buddy," Gumball told him.

"Oh," he said, "I thought something."

"We ready?" Tobias said.

We were ready, and we all said it.

No way out, no turning back.


	5. Chapter 5

5

The plan was in motion.

Darwin stayed behind with his walkie-talkie that Tobias handed him—three more were received; there was one for me, one for Tobias, and one for Anton. He told us that we just needed two, but there was a special, and he'd be dumb to just leave them alone and not take advantage of them. Plus, he said it looks cool, like if we were in one of those spy movies. I didn't think the looks mattered, rather if they can be proven useful. Tobias tested them out earlier with Darwin as we were crossing the street. It sounded good, but made a weird siren sound. My guess (or common sense) was that it signaled that the other one was calling.

We headed out, me, Anton, Banana Joe, Gumball, and Tobias to Sarah's house. It still didn't seem right to me, going in to someone's house we had never even been in, let alone know the person who owns it. It was wrong, and I still feel bad for being a part of this. I never intended to be in this whole charade, but I can't change the past now can I? There was no turning back.

I stayed close to Joe since we had to leave the house together, so it figures that we be close when it happens. Joe seemed more confident than usual, like this was the perfect test to his ability and he knew he was going to pass. I asked him if he was okay. "More than I'll ever be," he said.

We ran across the street. No cars came out from either end, and the street seemed dead along the way. I didn't see any light from any other houses, yet there were some cars parked by the houses. The only light that came was from the street lamps. It seemed to prove a disadvantage to us if we were going to run, and I'll be damned if we screw up. I know I keep thinking about these possibilities of what could happen. But when you realize that you're about to do something off your usual comfort zone, you may as well think twice of what you're doing and always be familiar with your surroundings. Simple rule, yet so many people keep messing it up.

We stopped at the front of the door, with all of them of trying to stay out of sight from the windows. It was hard for me, considering there was no room with Joe and Anton crouched down and Tobias and Gumball sort of hovering over them. I tried to keep my distance from them as well as out of the window's sight. I've seen those types of windows and (if I was correct) I could be able to tell how far I needed to be to know where I can and can't be spotted. I went farther to my right but closer to them to avoid getting seen.

Tobias slowly tried opening the door, and we saw him push it further, knowing it was open. It's suburbia; you know people and keep your doors unlocked. Pretty dumb to me, though.

We stopped when we saw a light go off inside. Darwin even saw it, as he was trying to alert Tobias. Thankfully since Tobias knew ahead of time, the walkie-talkie of his didn't ring as he pressed ahead to talk.

"I see someone going upstairs," Darwin said, whispering. "I don't know who it is. Someone tall, I think…Tobias, you should have gotten me some binoculars."

He answered, "I'm sorry, I couldn't find a good one at the moment."

I waited, along with the rest of them. I waited for the go, but I still wondered how we could just go along with this. This suspension of disbelief keeps going into my head. But it was too late to back out now. I made my choice, and now I have to go along with it.

Darwin gave us the go when he said that one of them went into the bathroom (he said, but we still have to be careful). Tobias said we should go now since it takes a while to use the bathroom, and this would be a good time to just do it. He said we could just set the alarm clock immediately when we set the time as we prepare to leave. I didn't think it was a good plan as she could just leave anytime and would be a risk. But, if Tobias' plan was for thrills, this one would be a big one—one that could easily ruin what we were trying to do. Then again, the faster we leave and get this over with, the better it is.

Tobias gave us the go, regardless. And we followed.

I was behind the rest, and they seemed all calm at the moment, but I was getting the feeling one of them wanted to smash the nearest object they could get their hands on. It was this moment I felt the rush; my heart was beating faster than anything I have ever experienced in my life. This was damn well against the law. But the power of the adrenaline, the feeling that you could fly, jumping out the window and just run out faster and farther than you have ever been in your life. I don't think they realized it at the moment, but I did. And, in a weird way (maybe like a fetish type of thing), I liked it.

Tobias went first and saw a nearby counter table by the couch, where I saw the girls sleeping under the sheets. It looked like each of them were buried in their sleeping bags, as if they had a hangover and crawled back into a cave like some kind of monster. Before I could even check who was present to determine who went up, I saw her.

Jamie was on the couch, and I backed away, not before checking to make sure I dont bump into something and blow our cover. Her head was on the edge of the couch by the counter, and I was worried that we could wake her up and she would be the first one to see us.

I thought Tobias would have called this whole thing off. It seemed reasonable to do so. Jamie could see us, and if she did, she would know what we did and give us all a beating we wouldn't forget. But he didn't, almost like he didn't see her. Or maybe he chose to ignore that she was there, giving in to more adrenaline.

When I moved away from Jamie and closer to the door, I saw something. Outside the backyard, there was a wood chipper. It was a big one, probably big enough to fit Molly in there. That confused me, and didn't make any sense to me. I only knew one person in town who would own one, Penny's dad. I saw his billboards, and I believe he was in construction. Then again, I could have judged a little too fast. This is coming from a girl's house I barely knew anything about. Heck, Sarah's dad could be one of Penny's dad's workers. And her dad could have bought one for work or something. I'm not too familiar with construction, yet I wasn't going to question it. I just wanted to get out of here.

I kept on looking at it, just as Anton was going over to check the backyard.

Then, when Anton was close to the moonlight shine down the glass door, someone was coming up the porch. We knew someone was outside, and Tobias turned away to see this, just as Gumball was about to plug in the alarm with the extension cord they were kind enough to bring.

Tobias' adrenaline turned either to an overload or was all gone, either way, he knew we're screwed if we didn't leave.

"We got to go," he whispered, turning back to the clock. "We're calling this whole thing off—"

At that moment, I saw Jamie's hand grab Tobias from the couch. She had been awake, most likely, I thought. Our cover was blown.

We were all shocked and terrified. We were young, and it was the equivalence as to being the first group of people to witness the shower scene that became the most iconic scene in film. I knew we were scared. I saw Banana Joe fall, Gumball and Darwin frozen, Anton, too, and I stood there, shocked with what I was seeing. Tobias was there up in front, so he had the bigger chance of being scared (hell, he was the one who was mostly scared out of all of us).

She grabbed him by his neck, and she was in the shadows, as the light by the living room window only shined down on the other girls. They were sleeping, peacefully, more or less.

Tobias tried to get away, but she had gotten a tight grip on him. They were struggling, like bum fights you'd seen on the internet. Tobias was almost weeping, like a zombie coming at him slowly as he laid there on the ground.

They fell, but only Tobias was able to get up. He was scared, as if he saw the corpse of his great-grandmother and asked him to take her with him. It must have been scary, but I knew Tobias must have gotten his adrenaline rush by then. If not, we surely did.

We knew by then we had to get out of here, right now, and we should have done that. We should have...but we didn't.

Anton rushed closed to us, as did Gumball and Joe, as Tobias and I were still in a phase of shock. I felt like a coward, but I knew what Jamie was capable, and it should have caused me to run and abandon these guys, but I couldn't.

We looked at her, and she got up, but barely.

Tobias touched his neck and noticed something. He felt something like water. I noticed to when I turned over to him, and he was confused at what it was. It was thick, yet felt like an ooze of some sort. But my attention went back to Jamie, as I soon figured out by the horns and her figure: small, but thick (just don't take it the other way). In my mind, I thought it was, it had to be Jamie, but all I did see was a hand come up and grab Tobias, but my hunch was proven correct.

She went back, crossing from the shadows over to the light. It looked like she was choking. She was pointing at her neck, and I thought I should help. But then I saw something. Something was sticking out in her neck. Maybe it was a broken bone, which I believed Tobias did. I was too much in shock that I could have believed that this was just in my head.

But there, she grabbed it, with both of her hands, as she didn't have any real fingertips, but she held on to it. She slowly pull it out, but as she did, it was getting bigger, the cut, I mean. When she did, blood was soon gushing out a rapid pace. Before I knew it, she was done, and showed it to us.

It was a small blade.

She collapsed on the floor, dropping the blade onto Tobias' feet as blood soon to soak up the carpet.

I didn't notice it before, but when my mind was back on reality, I heard Darwin saying over by the walkie-talkie, with Gumball answering, and I heard him say, "There's somebody up there, doing—"

When I turned, I was knocked unconscious.

* * *

I was woken up by Joe, and he looked scared, frighten, even.

I got up, and looked over at them, all of the guys, (besides Darwin for obvious reasons) and they were staring at something. They must have been looking at me, but I didn't think there was anything. I decided to turn to see what the hell hit me in head that knocked me out. I thought that maybe one of the girls woke up and sucker-punched me. Even if that wasn't the case, I had to know where I was and what had happened.

I turned, and I knew it wasn't that. The image that I saw from that night stays with me when I close my eyes. No matter what, it will for as long as I live.

I saw Penny Fitzgerald hanging right in front of me. I saw her eyes, just gaping holes, now just lifeless eyes that no longer exist. Everyone else was shocked, but I all I could think about was the others. I had this little thought in my head about Gumball, how he must have been feeling. I asked him about it one time he came over. All he could say was, "Just don't."

The head snapped open and her body fell down on the ground, leaving her head to drop blood. I decided to look inside the body, curious as I was (and as sick as I was) I wanted to know what was inside. There was a sharp emptiness, maybe because of the dark. But what I saw stays in my head. The single image of Penny's head staying on that rope, hanging from above and leaking blood down her beheaded corpse as it would soon turn to dust when time passed.

I went over to check up on the others sleeping, and I pulled open the covers. I saw a paper shredder, an ice cooler, and I saw Carmen with her throat slit and her veins, as well.

I must have stepped on something when I came in closer to check what was in the cooler, but the fireplace started up into flames, and I looked closer, curious as to why it turned on. But I noticed something very unusual. I saw a piece that was burning and that firewood was covered in something. I looked closer, and I saw that it was yellow, and when I looked closer at what was burning, it was a big, and it was shaped like a cone, and it looked like it was made out of those thing you eat ice c—

It hit me them. I didn't need anything else.

We started to run out to the backyard. We dropped everything in the process: the alarm and the walkie-talkie. We didn't care what we were leaving behind, or its value. What we knew was we needed to get the hell out of there.

When we opened the door, we were ambushed by blood, once more. Blood was coming at us like if you were being sprayed by a water hose from one of those fire hydrants out in summer. I was able to see what was going on, and I saw Molly (what was left from the top) in the wood chipper, and I was right: Molly _could_ fit in there.

We closed the door, and we ran out instead to the front door. We struggled with the doorknob, as our hands were covered in blood, and we weren't thinking. We all just panicked and started acting like vicious animals in the wild.

Finally, we opened the door. We just ran and ran, screaming from what happened, covered in blood and God knows what else.

We made it back home, with Darwin startled by our appearance. He looked at us as if we saw dead people, and he wasn't far off.

He looked at us and asked what happened.

"I don't think I can tell you that, Darwin," I said.

We were all exhausted and frighten. Gumball fell to the ground and was weeping, as if…no, he did see his loved one die…Tobias was in shock, feeling responsible (I hope, the sicko I was, in a way), guilty, even. He drove us there and brought us a nightmare we will never forget. Joe started to cough like a maniac, almost puking, but that honor went to me for what I saw and, honored again, to be the first to witness the blood splashing at us like one of those roller coaster rides that splash you and take your photo.

(_**SMILE! YOU'RE ON CAMERA!**_ the sign would say.)

I cleaned myself up, and looked back at Darwin, confused and scared, like little kids should.

"What's going to happen?" he asked.

"I don't know," I told him. _Jail,_ I thought. _If the police thought it was us._ And trust me; there was a good chance that could happen.


	6. Chapter 6

6

We waited until the morning, and I have to come clean: I don't remember if Tobias' parents were at the house during that night. Needless to say, I wasn't focused on it and never asked Tobias if they were here or not. I'm not sure, but maybe they were out. They could have come home in the morning and come to comfort us and clean us up. My theory can also be countered that they were up sleeping for a long time and didn't hear a thing. (Rachel was at her friend's house so she didn't interfere, Tobias was kind enough to say.) I learned that it didn't really matter much in the end, but when we called the police and told them what happened, but they didn't really believe the first time. They took it as a prank. We called them three times before they decided to check up on the place. They didn't take it serious, so they send up only one guy.

He drove up in his police car and went up to the house. It was about six-thirty, I believe. He went inside and was horrified. We watched him through the window, knowing that this guy knew this was real. He looked over at the window and saw us. We were just watching, almost as if this was a scary movie that was (shocker) scary, but we couldn't look away.

Officer Franklin Ross, his name was, an early-thirties police officer who was a fox, orange with a white stripe (I believe, indicating from his tail), came to us and asked what had happened. No one us would answer, and my attention still remained on Tobias. I wanted to know how he was feeling, how he felt about this whole situation.

Ross called more officers to the area, and much to my surprise a lot came and didn't know how to react to it. Back then, especially in suburbia, it was very uncommon—taboo, if you will—to have even been near a place that such an event occurred at. I never did know a single article in the paper that ever had a fair amount of death in it, and when it did, it was mostly for the loss of someone important or inspirational.

A lot of police officers and medical people (as I will refer to them as) came and went into Sarah's house. Soon a lot of people came out of the comfort of their homes and see what horror had occurred. I don't think it's all to react about when you see it. The reason being is that we experienced the deaths firsthand and were there to see what happened. But not all the deaths we had witnessed and dead already when camd—Jamie dying in front of us, Penny hanging herself, Carmen slit her veins and such, Sarah burning (or melting, and don't ask me how they had to bring her to the hospital or prepare an autopsy) herself in the fire, and Molly going into the wood chipper to chop herself into pieces—were all of them, we had missed out a couple, and we saw what they had to take out.

They had taken the ice cooler, and at the station when they were talking to us, one by one, to find out what happened, I found out that in the cooler was Leslie. They had stuffed him (God knows why they invited him, probably because he hangs out with the girls more often than with the guys) in there to drown to death. They said he struggled and that they found his body cold and they believed the water was there was cold and that they could have trapped him in there with ice and the water just melted overtime. They weren't sure, either, about it. I found out that Teri died in the paper shredder, and, a little a dark joke here, I probably should have known she was in there. I know it's very dark and not funny, but when your life is going down like that, you have to put a couple jokes in there to maintain your sanity. Masami's head was found in the freezer, and they had to bring the whole refrigerator down with them as evidence. I saw her photos and she lied calm and peaceful, almost as if she didn't mind. I think that's the only photograph I was able to see at that point with the others I denied. I don't know why, but it's my emotion and it isn't logical. Then again, this whole fiasco isn't logical.

They told me that Tobias he knew all who were coming and told them who was present, forced to explained he was eavesdropping. They told me all were present, except Carrie.

I barely realized that Carrie was not present at all in the party. I don't think they had to do much, and I soon found out she wasn't even at her house anymore. They said how they can't exactly say much, but I knew the fact she wasn't home and her own parents admitting she was gone at that house and haven't seen her since is very suspicious. They started saying she was being pinned as the murderer, but I highly doubt she did it, as with all of them dying…I don't think it was murder…Although, it did occur to me it was entirely possible. I'm not one to point fingers, but they said she could have planned it all, but was disproven when the host was Sarah and it didn't connect to why. They did overlook some things about her.

I know her ability to do these things are possible, as she is more than a compliment to the mere mention of death at one's doorstep. I know she _could _have been able to do it, but I dare say I wouldn't believe it. I don't know think she would do it. I know she could have done it, but I had to stop to wonder why she would do it.

I had nothing, and neither did the police. I remember how they couldn't find her and how my friends and I were let go. I soon found it hard to believe, but maybe she did go or somehow they just couldn't find her body. I don't I would go with the latter.

They began to ask why we were even there to begin with. We explained ourselves and we just know we were there at the wrong moment at the wrong time. They didn't really buy, but when our story matched up with the rest, they eventually believed us. But it never left my head they only said they believe it because even with our stuff placed as evidence, it still didn't stop them from thinking overwise. But our story and why we had them matched and they couldn't touch us. But they felt we just got lucky, or its just the paranoia talking.

After that day, we simply went back home in the comfort arms in our parents. They were as shocked to hear what had happened, even worse to know we had experienced it. They tried to make us feel like there was nothing wrong with it, like seeing someone naked by accident and just saying it's natural to be curious.

I went to bed after embracing the arms of my mom and dad. I decided to just lay on my bed and wonder. I didn't eat and I didn't sleep. My eyes became sore by every passing minute at midnight. I couldn't help feeling sorry for Tobias. I always had him in my mind when I saw Jamie. I was thinking how Tobias had gotten us into this situation. Now I felt that Tobias was feeling more and more responsible by every second he came into my mind. I always wondered what he was feeling, everything that was happening in his head.

* * *

The day we came back into school was the worst. I had a hard time talking to anybody because I didn't want to be reminded of what happened. I usually kept quiet and did the assignment and would rest my head and just close my eyes, but every time I did I would see Penny looking at me, back at the house when she was hanged. I avoided closing my eyes from then on, and when I opened my eyes in class some people would stare at me. I knew what they wanted; they wanted their little puppet to tell them everything. I know some have good intentions and some are just, dare I say, curious.

There was this one person, I think, named Rob, who was this tall, very skinny, blue-skinned, brown haired, Cyclops, was talking about how the event was all bloody and everyone was screaming and yet everyone was so terrified. He had help from this pile of clay named Clayton who said that what _actually_ happened: we went in, everyone was doing nasty things, they killed each other with knives and guns, we exploded the place, and such…I was so mad I went up to them and punched each one of them. Rob was easy and it didn't take much to beat him up, but Clayton didn't have much to feel, but I was able to grab a chair and bash him down. I was suspended for a week for it. I could have been expelled, but Principal Brown said he took it easy on me because of what happened and understands my actions. To me, it was brief and completely pointless.

Another person came up to me, and he was crying. He was Alan, a blue balloon, and he was moping at the playground. I remembered he went out with Carmen and he asked me why she died.

I couldn't possibly have answered that, and he just left me alone after that. I just hope to God he is all right now.

Soon my friends were outside, but they weren't together anymore. The only pair I saw together was Gumball and Darwin, but I didn't count them since they're family. Ever since then we split.

It's funny though, I was able to write down what had happened as if it had happened yesterday, but the rest of what happened afterwards is just a brief and forgetful memory I choose not to care about. I know this is hard to believe, but I know that this event can't be explained enough to understand it fully.

Still, the night always remains in my head. And I know it always will.

I remember that Gumball became an entrepreneur when he invested in a phone company that went up sky high. I think it was a phone company since I always hear people who have them using more products with them, laptops, computers, etc. I don't know much about it, except their logo is just a bitten fruit.

Darwin died soon after. I don't remember how, but Gumball said he went peaceful-like.

Banana Joe became a hit stand-up comedian. I say I have even visited a couple of his shows and aren't bad. I say he definitely improved. Hell, he has his own TV show and a couple movies.

Tobias, frankly, killed himself after high school. He went to the same one I went, and it surprised me how I didn't notice him beforehand. I always envisioned seeing him, but I guess the last time may have been just passing by in the hall. I don't know the cause, either, but I'm guessing he couldn't take the guilt of it anymore, if there was guilt.

Anton is alive and well, and he even married Sussie, which still confuses me on how a piece of toast went with an upside down head. All he can tell me is he is happy.

For me, I grew up as a writer. I have written only twelve novels, two short-story collections, all have become best-sellers and even some have been made into movies, television shows, mini-series, comics, etc. I feel happy. I even have somebody to share my life, and I have a daughter named Abigail. She is a pretty little thing, my heart and joy, and I hope for the better of things. She's twelve now, and she is currently at a girls' sleepover.

When she asked me for permission to go, it gave me back a good amount of the event back in my head. I have taken the liberty to write it all down in hopes of clearing my mind. I don't expect anyone to read this, but I only hope, for my sanity, I can rid this memory from my life. I can only hope so, and I really wish there was another way this could have ended. All I know is that it's over and done with, but the event never leaves me. I hope this heals me in a way. I know many say write down what you feel so you can let out your inner demons. It seems as if they never really leave; they always come back. Always come back.


	7. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

This was the only time, in a very long time, that I was able to sleep without the image of Penny. I was happy, but too busy sleeping to notice. I dreamt of something beautiful, something wonderful, I believe. I can trust my instincts for so long before I find something wrong or illogical about my own decisions or delusions.

I found myself at peace, and that was the way I wanted it to be…but that's not why I'm writing again.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the window open, blowing over the curtains in a soothing sound. I felt colder now, as if it had been opened for a week during winter season. I do remember the window was opened, but wasn't cold out, so I (I think) probably left it alone, but I don't remember if if I did or didn't.

I was about to get up to close the window, but—

"Hello," a voice said.

I remembered it. It sounded so familiar. I knew who it was.

I turned over and saw her, Carrie, sitting by the window that was closed, opposite of my bedside. She didn't look any different from when I saw her at age twelve.

"You have a good-looking one," she said, avoiding eye contact. "You should be proud of what you have."

"What…" I said, but I didn't feel like talking. I just stopped dead-ahead.

"I live with this guilt harboring over me. I know that I can't change the past or ask for forgiveness. But there is no reason to, and I should know this. And you deserve to know, or this will continue to keep me away from where I'm supposed to go.

"I was invited to their party, and I didn't know why. Honestly it seemed off. I guess I just gave off the impression I would be interested in doing or being involved in those sorts of things. But I never did intended on being a part of it, nor will I forget what happened. I honestly can't say how much it hurts to even talk about it.

"Anyway, I was over at their house, all planned out. But I was late, you see, kiddo," she said, laughing as if she had found a piece of food stuck in her teeth and wondered how long she had it in there. "I didn't know what they were planning to do, but I didn't know why I had to be a part of it.

"I got there about ten or eleven—I could care less what time it was—and I had to go from the back since I came by through the alley and thought they would see me there. Plus I didn't want anyone else seeing that I was there. I may not have such a good reputation, but I do care how I spend my time and don't want to give people the impression I'm assoicated with them.

"When I was let in by Sarah, she told me how happy she was that I was here…They eventually all greeted me like I was the messiah. I didn't know why, but I felt disgusted with it. Then I was told by Penny how exciting this night would be—Teri had even kicked off with an extremely happy attitude, which continued to put me off as she wouldn't be all like that without worrying about dying or getting hurt. You know how paranoid she was? She had this fear of germs and such, I don't know—real stuff that would make you say things how pathetic that is and...it's strange how it's debatable how some small things people fear extermely about or how big they can be and we simply ignore it.

"Then, Carmen started crying…She told me that she was sad at how she and Alan couldn't be together as she hoped. I know the usual skinny as to why, considering she's a cactus and he's a balloon. I know the ipso-facto. Then she started laughing, smiling, even, saying how even though they can't be together now, they soon will be…I was dumb enough to ask her why, and she replied, 'Because he will take his own life when he finds out what happens.' She said it like she knew the future or she was that confident in it.

"I-I…I was so blown away, like I was wondering if maybe I was being dozed off or I wasn't hearing or seeing things right.

"Then I saw Masami opening the freezer and she went in and closed it.

"I asked what she was doing.

"Penny told me that it was time to explain what was going on.

"Sarah told me that what was occurring was a cleansing. Like, this was going to be their ultimate salvation and they were going to be in a better place. They began to tell me that this was all planned in advanced and they were all open to the idea. She said it was the best idea she had ever heard and was glad this was about to happen. I don't know what had gotten into their…_heads_, if they had any sign of sanity left. I told them they were crazy; I told them that what they were doing was a multiple-suicide thing. I didn't know why they would do it, and that they were just so god damn nuts. I said no offense to Penny, but she didn't think of it as a joke or anything—just pointless, more or less.

"I was asked to join them, that they had found a way to 'cleanse myself' and live a happy life.

"I told them I needed time to think things through and I wanted to go outside for some fresh air.

"They told me not to 'dilly-dally' as they would do it soon, with or without me.

"I was outside, thinking about what I was going to do. I didn't know whether to call the police or just get out of there. I knew for a fact I wouldn't do it. I thought they were crazy.

"So I left and ran for help…"

"But…?" I asked.

"I couldn't get there in time, and I knew what others would think. I can't explain it, but the very fact they could pin it on me, I had no choice. I told my parents where I was going, and I had no way out.

"I had to leave…For a very, very long time I have been running, running and running. I have this guilt that I always relieve every single day when it happened. I get so mad at myself on how I could have stopped it all; how I was so useless and couldn't do a single thing about it…I failed. Plan and simple, and there is no excuse for it.

"Then, it hit me. I could have said I was late and I didn't went. But even that doesn't work well, but it was something. A chance.

"Now, it's too late. It's gone. And I have to live with it."

I asked her, "Do you know exactly why they did it?"

She looked at me, almost as if I was the crazy one and said, "Think about it: These girls have killed themselves in a suicide fashion of their choice. Why would you do a thing like that? Maybe it was a fad they wanted to try, or maybe, and I do believe this one, they each had a reason for doing this. I believe each of them had problems and nobody knew how to solve them. I don't know what they were and why, but I believe this was all because each of them had their own inner personal demons. "

I didn't know what to say.

"I wanted to say this so I could be free. I want to go and meet my maker, but I have unfinished business. And now I have to go now. I hope for the best of you."

I turned away, thinking this was all a dream.

The next moment she was gone.

I went to my computer and began writing, because I don't know whether or not this was real or just my own personal hallucination of what I want to be the truth. Who knows? She could have been lying, and how could she have found me?

These questions I know will never be answered. All I can do is write. All I ever will be good at. Writing is my bread and butter. Why? I want to forget everything from it. Every single thing. I can't ignore these things, but I do have these thoughts that I may go insane with it and could go overboard with it.

Fiction: Lies. I choose to live in a world of fiction, which is why I write. I live for this.

I bought a gun when I turned eighteen and kept it since. There's one bullet, and it's waiting for me. I would only do it if I am pushed over the edge. I hide the gun so I won't be reminded of my last resort. But hopefully it never has to come to that.

I could only try to forget. "Try" being the keyword. I hope so, though.

My daughter will be back in the morning, and I should get some rest.

I hope this is the last time I ever mention this all.

This never happened.

THE END


End file.
